Rachael M. Haven, known as Shelley to friends, colleagues, and clients, has worked for nearly 40 years helping individuals with physical, sensory, cognitive, and learning challenges to unlock their potential with technology.
Shelley is an assistive technology consultant and former rehabilitation engineer who specializes in matching students with appropriate technology. Her consulting practice, Technology to Unlock Potential, serves families, educators, and schools both online and in person with a focus on learning differences, ADHD, and executive functioning. Her latest endeavor is helping education professionals understand artificial intelligence (AI) and how to leverage generative AI for teaching, learning, and AT support.
Shelley's broad experience in AT includes evaluating client needs, custom designing and fabricating accommodations, conducting classes and workshops, and publishing training materials. In the education arena, Shelley provided AT training and technical assistance to hundreds of schools and districts (as a private consultant and as part of a state-funded program). She directed AT resources and services for Stanford University's Office of Accessible Education (OAE) from 2000 to 2008, was instrumental in creating the Schwab Learning Center at Stanford (now part of CHC in Palo Alto) for students with learning differences and ADHD, and laid the groundwork for Stanford's online accessibility program. More recently, Shelley created and taught an online college course for UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, “Assistive Technology for Learning Differences”.
From 2005-2025, Shelley held RESNA* certifications (currently inactive) as an Assistive Technology Professional and a Rehabilitation Engineering Technologist. She has a degree in mechanical engineering and was previously licensed as a Professional Engineer (1984-2013).
*RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America)